I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to See Through God’s Lens

My husband and I recently finished some projects for my office. One of the projects is a soundproofing wall panel. It turned out beautifully, but there is a flaw—an imperfection. The flaw isn’t visible unless it is viewed from a certain angle. Now that I know it’s there, the flaw is all I see. Even though the flaw is obvious to me, not one other person who has seen the end result has noticed it. It’s the same with our own flaws: I’m too tall, too big, don’t speak well, not creative, don’t have any talents, not smart enough, good enough, or quick-thinking enough. Sound familiar? Or maybe the flaws you see in yourself are different. When you look at yourself, those flaws are all you see—you cannot seem to unsee them. When we continue to focus on our flaws, we end up putting limits on our lives, our effectiveness, and our uniqueness. We see others differently—we notice their talents, beauty, and abilities and compare them to our own flaws. We get stuck in this cycle. Even though, as the co-creator of the wall panel, I can see all the flaws, the panel hasn’t lost its usefulness or intent. Same

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I Choose Today to Change My Spiritual Wardrobe

God’s Word is rich with practical wisdom for daily life. In his letter to the Colossians (3:12-14), Paul paints a clear picture of how we are called to interact with others: “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” In a world where being quick to judge, offend, or harbor resentment is common, God calls us to walk a different path—a path that stands in stark contrast to our culture. We are asked to change our spiritual wardrobe and dress in qualities that reflect Christ’s character. Let’s break down what that looks like in our lives: • Make allowances for others: This means giving grace when others fall short. None of us are perfect, and offering forgiveness can create space for healing and growth in our relationships. • Forgive freely: Forgiveness isn’t just a suggestion, it’s a command. Letting go of grudges and bitterness frees us to experience the

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I Choose Today to Love Mercy

Over the last couple of blogs, we have been exploring our Product Owner’s requirements (found in Micah 6:8) and how we can demonstrate them to those in our sphere of influence. The first one covered was to act justly (living right when no one is watching and defending those who need someone on their side). Let’s start by reviewing Micah 6:8: “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right [do what is fair; to act justly], to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Why do you think one of God’s requirements for us is to love mercy? Just as “acting justly” is a characteristic of who God is, loving mercy is also a characteristic of God. The meaning of mercy is unwarranted or undeserved kindness and compassion. Showing kindness to others, especially to those who do not deserve it, can be very difficult. Surely God knows what that person did to me and doesn’t expect me to be kind to them, right? Let’s look at an example from the Word of God. How about how God dealt with Paul (Saul)? Paul

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I Choose Today to Know the Product Owner’s Requirement

In my day job as a business analyst, I work closely with the Product Owner (PO) to understand the requirements for each application and ensure they comply with federal regulations. Once I fully grasp the required functionality, I write acceptance criteria that developers can use to build according to the PO’s specifications. These requirements aim to help the end user—the person using the software—perform their daily tasks as efficiently as possible, minimizing blockers and obstacles. In a nutshell, I translate the PO’s requirements so developers can create a product that benefits the end user while remaining compliant with guidelines. We all have a PO: our Heavenly Father. He is in charge of the whole system, and His Word is our guidebook for living day to day in a way that fulfills our purpose on earth. So, what are God’s requirements? Micah 6:8 tells us: “…The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” I see three requirements in this passage: • Do what is right • Love mercy • Walk humbly with God What does this mean? Over

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I Choose Today to Ask Why

I am a project manager by trade. One of my favorite things to do when faced with an unknown challenge is to find the root cause.  Then I can strategize and make a plan to solve the problem. Project management methodology has several ways to find the root cause, but my favorite is the 5 Whys. The 5 Whys involves repeatedly asking ‘why’ when faced with a problem, aiming to uncover the root cause by moving beyond surface-level symptoms. This method not only applies in professional settings but also holds significance in our personal interactions. Let’s face it, we tend to judge the symptom rather than finding out the root cause of the symptom. For example, serval weeks ago, I told you about a gentleman I met who found himself addicted to drugs and living on the street. When we encounter people who are living that reality, we tend to judge them instead of getting to know the why: the root of their pain. God knew the root cause of people’s problems; the reason for their despair, hopelessness, animosity: sin and the separation from God because of the sin. But God had compassion on His creation, so He had a

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